Just Another Day
by moody.muddy
Summary: It's Bellatrix's birthday and Hermione is setting a surprise. Based on a rp with my best friend where Hermione was Warden Granger and they ended up running away together to keep Bella free and be together. This is just a few months after they let and moved to Scotland. Rated M only for language.


"It's not just another day though my little raven, it's your day, the day you were born. It matters", her voice was heavy with emotion as she sat opposite Bellatrix at the kitchen table, her coffee cup held in both hands paused in mid air, her brown eyes full of emotion. She'd been about to take a sip when she had heard Bellatrix claim her birthday was just another day, it was nothing special and she'd frozen. To her a birthday was a celebration of that person being alive and a part of your life. For anyone to say that was anathema to her, she just did not understand it. Even Luna at school had been the sort to get excited about birthdays, and she was a flake. Shaking her head as she put her cup down again she stared open mouthed at the dark witch.

"Don't be silly mudblood, you're meant to be the brightest witch of your age", there was a snort in her eyes though she avoided looking at Hermione. When she did her blue eyes were bright with confusion, "why does it matter to you? It's just a day. No one has ever made a fuss about it before, why should you care so much, muddy?". She had heard of things like birthday parties of course and had seen others celebrating birthdays when she had been at school and had a few friends but she'd never joined in and never even thought of celebrating her own. Hermione just stared at her for long moments, "no one ever cared did they? It's a celebration Bella, a celebration of you, of you being alive and in someone's life". In that moment she knew she had to celebrate it somehow, and show to Bella just want a birthday should be like. She might be her warden, technically, but they lived together and she had fallen in love with the dark witch.

"What present do you want Bella if you can't think of anything you want to do?", she tried another track now, her eyes smiling again now she'd determined to do something nice for the witch. Bella's next words though had her heart hurting again, "what do you mean a present? What do you want mudblood? No one ever gives a present without wanting something in return. Is it to get between my legs mudblood?". Snorting at the younger witch she smirked as she saw the expression on the younger witch's face, "Crookshanks got your tongue muddy?".

Snapping out of it Hermione shook her head and let her spoon clutter to her plate, her appetite for her late lunch evaporating at those words, "I don't want anything, I wanted to show you how special you are is all". She was a little lost now, not knowing where to take the conversation. It did explain a lot about the dark witch though, that no one ever gave her a present just to be nice or celebrated the day she'd been born. "I-I was going to do something nice for you Bella, but you always do this, you always ruin everything nice I had planned. Just because no one was nice to you while you were growing up it doesn't mean that i am the same". Her words tumbled out in one breath, her hurt and her feelings of compassion for the dark witch leaving her gasping for breath a little when her tirade had finished.

She was stunned watching the mudblood, no one had ever given a fuck about her or what she wanted or even how she felt, yet this girl was actually asking her as if it did matter. Colouring slightly she looked away, "just.. bake me a cake if you have too..". Getting up from the table so quickly she knocked her chair over she fled from the room, her mind a whirl of emotions and questions. Only that girl could ever make her feel so confused. No one had ever done anything like that and after slamming her bedroom door and hiccuping on a sob she realised that she'd wanted this, all those years of growing up with her sisters and her years of marriage to Rodolphus she had wanted someone to pay her attention but they never had, but now this mudblood was doing so and for no fucking reason. She couldn't understand, it hurt her so much yet she couldn't grasp that Hermione wanted nothing from her in return. People always wanted something, didn't they? It's what she had always known.

"Let her go Pinky, she's..", upset? Confused? Angry? She didn't know what the older woman was feeling and it infuriated her. They'd take one step forward then two steps back, trailing off she picked up the fallen chair then spun on the spot to look at the elf, "Pinky?". She'd had an idea then for a present for Bellatrix, "I'd like you to Knockton Alley and bring back a thestral, a live one, Id also like you to go the book store in muggle London, there's an order to be picked up please. Bella's birthday presents". She spoke kindly and couldn't help chuckle at the elf's eagerness to help treat the dark witch, "I is going miss Hermione, I be bringing back what you want miss". Tuning on the spot the elf apparated leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen with a bemused expression on her face.

All day Bellatrix stayed in her rooms, but Hermione wasn't bothered. Pinky was back within a couple of hours, the thestral and the book she'd ordered with her, a grin on her little face from ear to ear, "I have got them miss Hermione, Pinky has done what you wanted, Miss Bella, she will be liking her presents". Quieting the elf she asked her to make a cake for tomorrow, one that Bellatrix would like, and warned her not to be saying a word to Bellatrix and to make sure she stayed out of the back living area, she was not allowed anywhere near it. As soon as Pinky had gone back to her chores, after settling the thestral into the stable, Hermione took the book into the back living area and closed and locked the doors before settling down to not only wrap that but to wrap the candles and jewellery and other things she had brought for Bella, then she turned her attention to the decorations, wanting the day tomorrow to be special for Bellatrix. The muggle book she'd had Pinky pick up was an illustrated version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, she thought the witch might enjoy the she pinned up streamers and tissue paper balls she thought about all the birthdays Bellatrix had been made to know she wasn't special and felt her hands curling to fists by her sides as anger swept through her. Even Narcissa, that blonde witch Bellatrix had cried over losing, had apparently never done anything for her sister. Snorting with anger she finished the decorations quickly and stacked the presents neatly, just in time for the evening meal.

-

"Go away mudblood, this is meant to be my birthday and i don't have to get out of bed if I don't want too", Bellatrix turned away from Hermione again, facing the window with unreadable eyes. It had been this same argument all morning and now it was lunch time, "what if I wanted to give you a special present?". Reigning in her annoyance at the witch she asked again, all other ies she'd simply gotten either ignored or a snort but this time Bella turned back again and stared at Hermione, "why are you so determined to get me out bed muddy? What do you want?". Still looking as if she was long suffering of Hermione Bellatrix stood and tugged down her pyjama top then smirked at Hermione, holding out her hands, "well? What is this present?". She wasn't expecting anything and when nothing appeared in her hands she opened her eyes again and laughed, "you're full of shit Hermione, you've got nothing".

"Would you please shut up?! I've been trying to tell you", emphasising the word trying as she blocked Bellatrix from going back to bed, "you need to come with me to a different room to get your present, it is too big to be indoors". At the look on Bella's face she almost laughed but quickly schooled her face and took Bella's hands in hers. Gradually coaxing the reluctant witch to leave her room. "Muddy if you've.", she trailed off though as Hermione took her round the corner into the back living area and she saw all the decorations and the stack of presents, the banner proclaiming 'Happy Birthday' and Pinky standing holding a birthday cake. "Your main present is just outside Bella", she was smiling now as she saw the witch, unusually silent now, look around the room before looking back to her.

"For me? N-no one has ever done anything for me", her voice shook slightly as she spoke and there was a lump in her throat as she looked around, It was just pretty paper she told herself, but still a tear escaped. For once in her entire fucking life she felt loved, like she wanted and no just a means to an end. Watching the elf put the cake on the table where there was already all of her favourite things laid out ready for a buffet lunch Hermione took her hand and led her t where the french doors were already wide open letting the warm sun flood into the house, "this is your ain present".She smiled as she watched Bellatrix look around at the empty garden then smiled even me when she heard a gasp where the animal had just left the stable to see them, "you said that you always wanted one, we'll get you a saddle and things too, then you can ride him".

Holding out a hand towards the towering thestral she stumbled over the grass towards him, her eyes round as he sniffed at her hand then whickered at her before nuzzling her shoulder. Turning from him she was misty eyes from her tears of happiness as she grabbed Hermione's hands where the girl had followed her, "t-thank you..". She couldn't think what else to say, no one had ever done anything for her yet here was this girl, the mudblood she'd tortured,making her feel something, something she'd nt felt before. Smiling at Bella she pressed her lips to hers in a loving kiss, her fingers moving to wipe away the tears as he pulled back slightly, 2Happy Birthday my Little Raven, I love you". There were tears in her eyes too, she'd not expected such a reaction from the dark witch, though she laughed as the thestral bumped his nose against Bella, "you can ride him Bella, he can take you wherever you want to go".

A year ago Bellatrix had arrived in her prison suffering from so many health problems she was almost dead where she stood.. But now.. Now Bellatrix was different, she was healthy again and looking at Hermione with so many emotions flooding her eyes it was hard to pick just one to focus on, "I love you Bella, you're special, you mean so much to me and to Pinky. We'll never forget your birthday".


End file.
